"We missed it a lot. It has always been here," said Genoveva, recalling that when the clock was removed, people even said it would never return because the repairs were too expensive. That is why seeing it installed again brought immediate joy. "Now we look at the clock to see the time; we do not even need to take out our phones," she explained.
Paquita shared that feeling. "I missed it too. It has always been here, and seeing it brought the square to life. People complained and wanted it back," she said. She has lived in Torrero for more than 40 years and has also always worked in the area, so she remembers the clock as a familiar presence in the square for decades.
A LONG-STANDING DEMAND
Zaragoza City Council has restored the clock after investing 10,769 euros, following more than a decade out of service. Mayor Natalia Chueca, who attended its restart, explained that the clock had been left out of the municipal maintenance inventory after work was carried out on the square, contributing to its remaining broken.
The repair was carried out by the historic Pérez de Mezquía clockmaker’s shop, which replaced the mechanism and refurbished various elements of the installation. The clock, which has stood in this location since 1975, has thus returned to its usual place with improvements that will make maintenance easier and allow it to continue working.
The restoration also served to remember those who campaigned for the clock to tell the time again. Chueca said that Carlos Longás, a municipal worker, personally conveyed the request to her when she was councillor for Public Services. His widow attended the reinstallation, a moment shared with residents who had spent years calling for the return of this historic fixture.
